Malta Will Maintain ICCAT Bluefin Quota As EU Memberff

EU commissioner for agriculture and fisheries Franz Fischler said Monday he was “really optimistic” that it should be possible for Malta’s agriculture and fisheries sectors to manage EU membership successfully.

Addressing a joint press conference with rural development minister George Pullicino, however, Dr Fischler stressed that Malta must continue with its preparations for membership.

He stressed the urgent need to complete the setting up of the paying agency and the control systems to be ready by accession.

Malta has obtained a favorable accession deal, said Fischler, and mentioned specific advantages such as the use of special temporary state aids in sensitive sectors to support agricultural producers; the granting of reference sectors that go beyond current production in the tomatoes and wine sector and many other advantages.

“Now we have to agree on certain implementation rules,” he said, “and this is what we have discussed.”

However, Dr Fischler also said that it was necessary for the Maltese farming and fishing community to realize that there are no separate sectors in the food chain.

He explained that primary producers, such as farmers or fishermen, are not totally separate from the trading sector.

He added that the EU counted on the Maltese farming and fishing sector to take the opportunities presented by membership.

Speaking about fisheries, Pullicino said that Malta had recently stated that it “intended to maintain its historical blue-fin tuna catching capacity”.

He said that Malta’s quota will be negotiated at the forthcoming ICCAT (International Commission for the Conservation of Tuna) general meeting in November. “We have been assured by Commissioner Fischler that the Commission will not only support but will negotiate on our behalf to ensure that historical catch reference of around 350 tons is maintained,” said Pullicino.

He added that government has assured Commissioner Fischler that it was making steady progress on the development of procedures and software for the paying agency and rural development department.